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NHL Jason Robertson, one of the top scorers in the NHL didn't make the Olympic team. |
In the high-stakes world of international hockey, where the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" legacy still casts a long shadow, USA Hockey GM Bill Guerin made a move that has fans and pundits buzzing: leaving Filipino American Jason Robertson off the 2026 Olympic roster.
General Manager Bill Guerin and Head Coach Mike Sullivan emphasized "stylistic fit" and "balance". They chose more physical, defensively responsible forwards like Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller to handle specific checking roles that they felt did not suit Robertson's "pure scorer" style.
Robertson didn't hide his disappointment. While he was left off the Four Nations roster last year, he felt this season's star-making goal production had proven he belonged.
The Dallas Star winger admits the snub "hurts your ego" but maintained a professional front.
“I thought that this year was different from last year. Obviously last year [for 4 Nations], I didn’t think I was good enough," he told reporters. "Now, I think I did. It’s their choice and their decision, and that's it."
Management’s logic was simple, if controversial: they aren't just picking the 12 best players; they’re building a team with specific roles. While Robertson entered 2026 leading all American-born NHLers in points, Guerin and Coach Mike Sullivan prioritized "two-way play" and "physical presence".
View from the edge
Sullivan, who is the New York Rangers' head coach, selected two members of the Rangers, Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller, despite having significantly less than half of Robertson's total.Robertson's absence is akin to leaving NBA star scorer Stephen Curry off the Olympic basketball team because he's not a great defender. As we saw in the 2024 Paris Olympics, it was his scoring, not his defense, that won the Gold Medal for the US.
It should be noted that the two NHL players scoring more than Robertson, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon, were named to Team Canada.
Critics argue that leaving home three of the top seven American goal-scorers—including Robertson—is a massive risk if the US struggles to find the back of the net in Milan. Even Dallas' goalie, Jake Oettinger, who did make the cut, called Robertson the "most pure goal-scorer" he’s ever played with.
“I think they leaned into familiarity,” said Malia Poblete, a writer for The Hockey News based in Eugene, Oregon. “A lot of the players had opportunities to connect in their careers earlier. However, there are no doubts these picks still have talent.”
FYI: The Olympic hockey games begins on Wednesday, Feb. 11, with Slovakia taking on Finland. Team USA begins action on Thursday, Feb. 12, on NBC.
Robertson, born and raised in California, is one of several NHL players playing for US and Canadian teams of Asian heritage. They include:
- Nick Robertson (Filipino/American, Jason's brother): Toronto Maple Leafs
- Kailer Yamamoto (Japanese/American): Edmonton Oilers (recently with Seattle Kraken/Utah)
- Nick Suzuki (Japanese/Canadian): Montreal Canadiens
- Matt Dumba (Filipino/Canadian): Minnesota Wild (now Arizona Coyotes/Tampa Bay Lightning)
- Kiefer Sherwood (Japanese/American): Colorado Avalanche (now Nashville Predators)
- Kole Sherwood (Japanese/American): Columbus Blue Jackets
- Jonas Siegenthaler (Thai/Swiss): New Jersey Devils
- Akito Hirose (Japanese/Canadian): Vancouver Canucks
Robertson was named to the reserve Olympic team. If there are injuries he'd be the first off the bench, but as of now, he'll have to watch from the sidelines as Team USA tries to reclaim gold for the first time since 1980.
Despite the blow to his ego, Robertson stated he won't change his style: "I'm not going to change the way I play. I’m happy to keep doing what I do ... I just strive to be the best at whatever I can be. It so happened that this year was the Olympic year, and that's not gonna stop me from doing that the rest of the season. I love the game. I just keep playing. And that's the beauty of it."
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